Phil Mickelson didn't hold back in describing his struggles in the first round of the CIMB Classic on Thursday.

"I can't remember swinging this bad in a long time," Mickelson told Golf Channel after opening his 2013-14 PGA TOUR season with a 1-under 71 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. "I can't find the middle of the club face. And I'm not sure if the ball is going to go dead left or snap hook right and it's a frustrating time tee to green."

Mickelson said he's been struggling since taking a week off following his victory at The Open Championship. He's worked with his instructor Butch Harmon but hasn't been able to solve the issues.

"It's way off right now," he said. "It's as far off as it's ever been."

Mickelson started on the back nine, making birdies on two of his first three holes. After going out in 2 under, he double-bogeyed the second hole after taking a penalty for a wayward tee shot. He also made double bogey on the ninth, his last hole of the day.

"I'm swinging awful. I'm swinging terribly at the ball," he said. "The lead for me right now is irrelevant. It's so far off that that's the last thing on my mind, because I just don't know where the ball's going."

Afterward, Mickelson said he's trying something different on every swing in an attempt to correct the issue.

"I would go hit balls, but I don't know what to do to try to fix it. I don't even know what to try to do," he said.